Top-ranked Heavyweight contenders Fabricio Werdum (No. 1) and Alistair Overeem (No. 3) locked oversized mitts at UFC 213 tonight (Sat., July 8, 2017) for a third and likely final time inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Indeed, it was a super-sized rubber match that started slow, but nearly finished with a finish. In the end, though, Overeem was able to sneak out of “Sin City” with a razor close majority decision over Werdum.

Werdum came out with a flying knee that Overeem easily sidestepped. Overeem circled Werdum in a low stance with his hands low, inviting the Brazilian to trade hands with him. Overeem landed a nice shot, prompting Werdum to rush in with a flurry that didn’t do anything. Werdum went after him with a pair of high kicks, but Overeem calmly circled out of danger without any of them find their marks. Overeem continued to calmly stalk Werdum, eventually landing a nice combination as the former champion fired back with his legs. Overeem continued to stick his chin out and keep his hands low, but the counter-punching strategy didn’t pay dividends in the opening frame. He did manage to land another clean punch as the round ended, but it was a very cautious start for the Dutchman.

Once again, Werdum started the second stanza with another flying sidekick that came nowhere close to landing. Overeem responded by clipping him with a left hand and then a kick, which Werdum used to drag him down to the mat. Overeem played in Werdum’s guard for a little bit before coming to his senses and standing back up. Overeem drilled Werdum with a fantastic uppercut and then a knee to the body that folded the Brazilian like a cheap suit. He immediately pulled guard, but Overeem this time didn’t mess around, standing up as soon as possible and heading back to the center of the Octagon. On the restart Overeem drilled him with another shot, then hit a jumping switch kick that backed up Werdum almost immediately. Werdum, though, fired back with a glancing right cross and then a left that put Overeem on the run. Werdum slipped in a hard jab, which Overeem countered with a hard left cross that bounced off his forehead. Overeem appeared to be heating up.

To start the third and final round, both big men came out swinging for the fences, but nothing of note landed in the early exchange. Overeem continued to find a home for his sneaky uppercuts as Werdum scored with knees. Then Werdum landed a huge knee that sent Overeem twirling on his feet. Werdum hastily rushed in and tried to submit Overeem, but it was too sloppy and he was able to get back to his feet. Werdum, though, kept the pressure on, rushing Werdum and popping him with two stiff jabs before getting him back on the ground where he could work some ground-and-pound along the bottom of the fence. He was able to land a handful of good shots, but it appeared as if he wasted a tremendous opportunity to finish the fight as Overeem just hung on until the round, and the fight, came to a close.

It was a close fight, with Overeem winning the second round and Werdum taking the third. Indeed, it was the cautious, slow first round that ultimately decided the winner, which is a bit unfortunate considering how the rest of the fight played out. Oh well, that’s the antiquated 10-9 scoring system that Overeem was able to manipulate to his intellectual benefit.